MSP trooper dies after Detroit-area crash

LINCOLN PARK, Mich. (WOOD) — A Michigan State Police trooper has died days after a crash on a highway near Detroit Friday morning, MSP confirmed.

Around 8:30 a.m., Motor Carrier Officer Daniel Kerstetter with the Commercial Enforcement Division was stopped on the side of northbound I-75 near Dix Highway in Lincoln Park during a traffic stop. He had pulled a semi-truck over and was sitting in his cruiser with his seat belt on when a Ford Explorer hit the median wall and eventually hit Kerstetter’s vehicle.

The force of the crash pushed the MSP cruiser into the back of the semi-truck. First responders extracted Kerstetter from his cruiser using the Jaws of Life and both he and the driver of the Ford were taken to the hospital. The driver of the Ford was pronounced dead.

Kerstetter was placed on life support but later died, MSP said. His family decided to donate his organs.

Kerstetter, 45, joined the MSP Motor Carrier Officers in 2023 and was assigned to the Metro North Post. He was married and leaves behind three children, according to MSP.

“We are heartbroken for this loss,” said Col. James F. Grady II, director of the MSP. “Traffic enforcement is dangerous work. The dedication of our motor carrier officers and troopers to keeping the public safe on our roadways is commendable and honorable. With the decision to give the gift of life, even in his death, MC Officer Kerstetter is serving others.”

In a Monday statement posted to social media , Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called Kerstetter’s death “heartbreaking.”

“Michigan is grateful to MC Officer Kerstetter for keeping our families safe during his career. My heart goes out to his family, friends, and MSP colleagues during this difficult time,” she wrote.

Motor carrier officers enforce traffic safety laws like size and weight enforcement and hazardous material regulations for commercial vehicles, MSP said.

The crash is being investigated, according to MSP.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.